This week’ question is: If you had to pick only 5 books to read ever again, what would they be and why?

Wow, good question! *starts scanning her bookshelf desperately*If I could choose 5 books only, I would probably choose five different books from five different genres.Or at least I’d try to pick one from my favourite genres 🙂 My top 5 picks in no particular order would be:

I know most people are familiar with this title because of the film version – but seriously, if you liked the film, read the book. It’s a hundred times better and a lot different! It’s one of my all time favourites.

A hilarious year in the life of a confused thirty-something Singleton who would have all the answers if she could just lose seven pounds, stop smoking and attain Inner Poise.

This laugh-out-loud chronicle charts a year in the life of Bridget Jones, a single girl on a permanent, doomed quest for self-improvement — in which she resolves to: visit the gym three times a week not merely to buy a sandwich, form a functional relationship with a responsible adult, and not fall for any of the following: misogynists, megalomaniacs, adulterers, workaholics, chauvinists or perverts. And learn to program the VCR.

Caught between her Singleton friends, who are all convinced they will end up dying alone and found three weeks later half-eaten by an Alsatian, and the Smug Marrieds, whose dinner parties offer ever-new opportunities for humiliation, Bridget struggles to keep her life on an even keel (or at least afloat). Through it all, she will have her readers helpless with laughter and shouting, “Bridget Jones Is Me “

Pilcher has been one of my favourite authors for at least 4 or 5 years now and The Shell Seekers is simply breathtakingly beautiful. It’s so well written, it’s impossible not to be moved by the story. Loved it.

Set in London and Cornwall from World War II to present, The Shell Seekers tells the story of the Keeling family, and of the passions and heartbreak that have held them together for three generations. The family centers around Penelope, and it is her love, courage, and sense of values that determine the course of all their lives, Deftly shifting back and forth in time, each chapter centers on one of the principal players in the family’s history. the unifying thread is an oil painting entitled “The Shell Seekers,” done by Penelope’s father. It is this painting that symbolizes to Penelope the ties between the generations. But it is the fate of this painting that just may tear the family apart.

I’d pick the whole series, if I was allowed to pick more. Anyway, out of all the Harry Potter books I think this one was my ultimate favourite. Mainly because Snape has been my favourite character from the very beginning and this book was FULL of Snape related scenes. Ahem. Anyway, I just LOVE Harry Potter. It’s a definite must!

J. K. Rowling continues to bewitch readers everywhere with the third book in her magical Potter series, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry’s ongoing exploits, along with those of his contemporaries, teachers, and relatives, are as imaginative, entertaining, and mysterious as ever. For during Harry’s third year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he must face his greatest challenge yet: a confrontation with Sirius Black, an escaped convict and madman who is rumored to be in cahoots with Harry’s archenemy, the Dark Wizard Lord Voldemort. This alone would be daunting enough, but Harry’s task is made even more trying when he discovers that Sirius is suspected of being the one who killed Harry’s parents.

I read this one many many years ago but I know I loved everything about it. It’s such a lovely story so if you haven’t read it yet, please do!

When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle’s great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of mysterious secrets. There are nearly one hundred rooms, most of which are locked, and the house is filled with creepy old portraits and suits of armor. Mary rarely sees her uncle, and perhaps most unsettling of all is that at night she hears the sound of someone crying down one of the long corridors.

The gardens surrounding the odd property are Mary’s escape and she explores every inch of them–all except for the mysterious walled-in, locked garden. Then one day, Mary discovers a key. Could it open the door to the garden?

Have you read any of these? What five books would you choose? 🙂 Feel free to leave a comment below and share your thoughts! x x x

1. What’s your favourite time of day to read? I’m a full time night owl so I always read at night. One of the many reasons for this is that I go to uni so I don’t have much time during the day. But even if I’ve no classes or I’m at home, I just can’t read before let’s say… 6 o’clock or even later. I just concentrate with all the noise outside – I like to read when everyone has gone to bed and it’s all quiet. 🙂

2. Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.)Nope – as I said, I usually don’t read in the morning. I usually check my emails and blog post comments while I’m having breakfast.

3. What’s your favorite breakfast food?Oh, that’s a tough one. I don’t think I have any! I don’t even like breakfast – the only reason why I do eat breakfast is that I don’t want to pass out on my way to uni or wherever I have to go. I love mushroom and tomato flatbread and cheese on toast though. AND I need to have my breakfast tea each morning, otherwise I’ll be really grumpy all day. Seriously. Don’t mess with me until I’ve had my cuppa.

4. How many hours a day would you say you read?I do read a lot when I don’t have to prepare for my exams or hand in 10 page long essays the next morning. I do spend a lot of time in front of my computer networking, working on blog designs and that sort of thing but nights are all about reading. So I usually read… well, 5 hours maybe?

5. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago?Much more! I’ve always liked reading but I’ve never read as much as I do now that I have my blog. I guess the main reason why I wasn’t much of a bookworm in my teens is that none of my friends really like reading so there was no inspiration, I suppose. I started reading more before I went to university but I didn’t have my blog back then.

6. Do you consider yourself a speed reader?Certainly not. I’m quite a slow reader compared to most bloggers! There were books that I was able to finish in about a day (Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None) but only because they were SO good that I literally couldn’t put them down. Plus, I was reading non-stop so I was completely knackered by the time I finished it, haha!

7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?Being invisible? Yes please. I’ve always preferred staying in the background to being the centre of attention so I could really use an invisibility cloak sometimes.

8. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go?Nope. Even if I was a commuter, I probably wouldn’t. I have motion sickness so ebooks and paperbacks are out of the question for me. Plus as I said, I can’t read in crowded/noisy places so there’s no point in carrying a book with me. Although I do like to go to the park in summer and lie down with a good book while sunbathing. 🙂

10. How old were you when you got your first library card?Oh, I’ve no clue to be honest. About 8 or 9? I had one while I was in primary school, that’s one thing I remember.As for now, I haven’t had a library card for many years.

11. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? I think it’s a Shakespeare collection – I have about 6 Shakespeare books on my shelf which are really old!

12. Do you read in bed?Aye! Since I prefer reading at night, I usually curl up in bed under a warm blanket with a hot cup of tea (or hot chocolate), some biscuits and my book – that’s my favourite place to read.

13. Do you write in your books?Never!

14. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be?Read what you’d like and not what others tell you to read. 🙂

I’ve been thinking about the exact same thing since Monday morning and I’m still clueless. There were so many great books I read this year, I don’t even know how I should list them all in one post. I’ll tell you what. I’ll try to narrow it down to the best five.

#1 The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes

It’s not a surprise, is it? I’ve been fangirling over this book for months now and I’m still in complete and utter show. It was just amazing. I know many people who like Marian’s books but this one didn’t work for them – well, it did for me. It’s true, it’s a bit different from her other novels but for me, it was her best book so far. It’s mysterious, witty, funny and emotional at the same time – it made me bawl my eyes out by the end. If you like chick-lit or romance, make sure to pick it up in 2012, it’s really good!

This one was provided for review by Netgalley and I have to say, it’s been my favourite ebook this year. I loved the story, I loved the characters, the setting, and … well, everything. It literally made me want to pick up some biscuits or cupcakes while I was reading it, though! Meg is currently working on her second novel (which is not a sequel to How to Eat a Cupcake, unfortunately) and it’s going to be released in 2013 if I remember correctly. I wish we didn’t have to wait that long!

Something for the fans of middle grade fiction out there. :o) I got this book for review from Jenny herself and I enjoyed every minute of it. It’s been a long time since I read any middle grade fiction (well, in middle grade, to be exact) but I fell in love with the story right away. Don’t be put off if you don’t normally read MG – I don’t, either. It doesn’t matter where you live or how old you are, you will be able to relate to this story and its characters.

I’m sure you remember this one, right? I’ve never really read paranormal fiction before so Farsighted was literally the first such book I’ve ever read – and it made me fall in love with the genre. It was a real page-turner and I just couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen! Seriously, if you haven’t read it, pick up a copy and do – you’ll love it. The sequel, Open Hearts is on its way and is going to be released in late spring in 2012!

The Secret of Lies was the biggest surprise for me this year. It’s a captivating and very emotional story and the writing style is pure brilliance. I have a soft spot for literary fiction and this book just left me speechless. I had an instant connection with Stevie, the main character, which made me want to find out what was about to happen even more. A great tear-jerking coming of age novel with relatable characters and an excellent storyline – I loved it.

What’s more important to you? Real, three-dimensional, fleshed-out fascinating characters? Or an amazing, page-turning plot?

For me, obviously both are important and I’d probably stick with a mixture of these two, but if I had to choose one, I’d go with a page-turning plot. I don’t care how amazing or realistic the characters are if the plot bores me to death. Seriously. I prefer fast paced stories and as long as it’s exciting, intriguing and makes you want to keep on reading, I don’t care about fascinating characters, or the lack of them, for that matter. 🙂

Which one would you choose? Feel free to leave a comment below with your own BTT post or your answer. 🙂 xxx

Oh hey! I'm Vicky, your average twenty-something with a full-time job, insatiable wanderlust, and an undying passion for photography. A Backpack Full of Adventures is where I document my adventures across the UK and the rest of the world, and share my love for backpacking, weekend breaks, urban adventures, and everything in between.

Newsletter

All materials on this blog were produced and/or compiled by A Backpack Full of Adventures. No images, text and/or designs from this site may be copied or reproduced without written permission. (Authors and publishers may use parts of reviews for quotations.)